A recently released UC Riverside study finds that African Americans and Latinos are more likely to feel respected on campuses that have a larger proportion of black and Latino students.

The study, by UCR Assistant Provost William Kidder, was based on surveys between 2008 and 2011 of nearly 10,000 African American and Latino students who attend major U.S. research universities.

For example, it found that on campuses, such as UCR, where African Americans comprise 5 to 10 percent of the student body, a large majority of black students felt they and other African Americans were respected.

On campuses with a smaller proportion of black students, such as UC Berkeley, UCLA and UC San Diego, black students were less likely to feel respected.

The study was published in the Journal of College and University Law.

The research comes as the UC Supreme Court considers the future of racial preferences in college admissions in a case involving a University of Texas affirmative-action program.

UT Austin was one of the campuses that Kidder studied – and where black students were more likely to feel respected.

Nearly 450 scholars from 172 U.S. universities and research centers signed the brief.

The brief says that affirmative action is key to creating “the level of diversity that fosters educational excellence and adequately prepares students for engaged citizenship and successful careers in a multiracial society.”

Oral arguments on the case in October indicated that the court may be ready to either eliminate racial preferences in college admissions or limit them. A decision is expected by June.

In 2010, I interviewed at least two dozen African American and Latino students for a story on how UC Riverside is one of the nation’s most diverse major research universities and has earned plaudits for increasing the graduation rates of blacks and Latinos.

A number of them told me they chose to attend UCR in part because of the campus’ diversity. Some turned down offers from more selective UC campuses.

Obi Okafor told me he was accepted by UC San Diego but didn’t want to attend a university where, at the time, fewer than 2 percent of undergraduates were black.

Okafor was often the only black student in classes at his Oceanside high school and community college. He liked the diversity at UCR.

“When you’re the only one, it makes you uncomfortable,” Okafor told me. “Everyone’s looking at you.”